U.S. President Donald Trump spent over US$21 million, which is over 100 times of what he said it would cost, on adding features to the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, according to the official State Department estimate.
President Trump said the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem would cost about $250K.
The State Department just awarded a $21.2 million contract for "building addition and compound security upgrades." pic.twitter.com/yTCEWjLhfd
— AJ+ (@ajplus) July 17, 2018
According to the federal spending documents, the U.S. State Department gave nearly US $21.2 million for a contract to the Maryland-based company Desbuild Limak D&K for designing and building an “addition and compound security upgrades” at the embassy.
Trump first said the Jerusalem embassy will cost $250,000. It's actually $21 million. https://t.co/8AWboFvPIg
— Daily Kos (@dailykos) July 19, 2018
These additions are to be made to the former consular building in Jerusalem — the embassy’s temporary location.
The decision to move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem earlier in May was met with widespread furor and led to clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops. Over 50 Palestinians were killed during the Great March of Return when they attempted to cross the border between Israel and Gaza.
Trump’s move on Jerusalem: Is this the end of US diplomacy in the Middle East? | Opinion by: @RamzyBaroud #القدس_عاصمة_فلسطين https://t.co/HQXM9FwixA
— Middle East Monitor (@MiddleEastMnt) March 16, 2018
The relocation ceremony coincided with the 70th anniversary of the country’s independence, one day ahead of Nakba – which resulted in the forced displacement of nearly 700,000 people from their homes after the state of Israel was established in 1948.
While a ceremony to mark the relocation of the United States Embassy took place in Jerusalem, thousands of Palestinians protested. In Gaza, Israeli forces killed dozens as demonstrators tried to cross the border fence. For more updates: https://t.co/ACItrquOmd pic.twitter.com/3ZIsIbxbJv
— New York Times Video (@nytvideo) May 15, 2018
The international community, the majority of which has embassies in Tel Aviv, agree that the future of Jerusalem should be a part of the broader deal between Israel and Palestine. But, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will not give up any part of Jerusalem.
(TeleSur, PC, Social Media)
